Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed claims of political interference regarding the pardoning of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and Shane Stevens, a former leader of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW).
This issue gained attention after members of his political party expressed support for the release of Speight and Stevens during campaign meetings for the People’s Alliance ahead of the 2022 General Election, with the most recent discussion occurring on September 13.
Both Speight and Stevens were among the seven individuals who received a Presidential Pardon last Thursday. Speight was charged with treason and pleaded guilty in 2002, with his death sentence later commuted to life imprisonment.
When addressing the media, Mr. Rabuka emphasized that the Mercy Commission operates independently, and the decision to pardon the two men was made solely by the commission following due process.
“The People’s Alliance stated that the 2013 Constitution and its various mechanisms will function without interference, including the prerogative of the Mercy Commission, which operates independently from government influence,” Mr. Rabuka explained.
“This was the exclusive authority of the Mercy Commission,” he reiterated, adding, “It had nothing to do with anyone in government or politics.”